The present invention is directed to the field of liquid dispensing devices, particularly those of the type used to dispense a scent-producing air freshener. Many liquid vapor dispensers are known which dispense a fragrance into an ambient environment for purposes of air-freshening. However, most of the previous dispensers dispense fragrance at a non-uniform rate, initially emitting a very strong scent, and subsequently emitting a very weak scent.
A liquid dispenser is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,242,111 to the present inventor, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference. In this device, liquid vapor is dispensed at a slow uniform rate, permitting constant reliable use over a long period of time. This previous dispenser includes a liquid reservoir, preferably a thin, impermeable, plastic bag, which retains an active liquid to be dispensed. A sheathed wick extends out of the reservoir and conducts the liquid to a large-surface emanator via capillary action, where it is evaporatively dispersed into the ambient environment. The reservoir bag is sealed around its perimeter, and fluid egress can only occur along the wick, which is retained inside a tube. As liquid evaporates, the bag collapses internally to maintain equalized atmospheric pressures.
The previous dispenser is formed of a number of components, including a bag, wick, wick tube, emanator and various connecting structures. All of these components require separate manufacture, and assembly of the finished dispenser involves a number of production steps, thus adding to the overall cost of manufacture. Also, since the various elements are discretely formed, they can become disconnected from each other, resulting in the failure of the dispenser.